Any chance that the countries trying to export the oil and LNG will police the shipping lanes?
HIghly doubtful, that's proper Navy stuff. I doubt the UAE Navy can find the Dubai Creek using Waze.
I think SKS will find it hard to resist DJT's order. Chance of getting back in the good books and reflected glory if, by some miracle, it goes well vs. HMS Dragon on the bottom of the Iranian Gulf. At least there wouldn't be endless C-17 rotations of coffins coming into BZZ. The sea keeps those whom she takes.
If China as the buyer of the oil were to do it, Iran would be back in its box. A couple of frigates would be enough, just pottering around the Straits, waving to the passing tankers.
But can you imagine how Trump would take that slight on his tiny manhood?
We’re largely a bunch of middle aged to old white men on a form of message board that had its heyday 15-20 years ago. And it’s Monday morning. What do you expect?
Good morning
I agree that @Alanbrooke description of Cooper was unkind but then some of the comments on here about Kemi are at times even worse and it is simply unnecessary
I was involved with Cooper and her department over hips with many trips to London to discuss the pros and cons and frankly she just dld not listen
I do not think she or Miliband are labour's answer to the Starmer question but then who is ?
My wife and I are to set off shortly on our 2 day train excursion to Edinburgh so will not be posting much as we want to enjoy the journeys and ever changing scenery
Yes “whatabout” the unkind things that people say about Kemi. Someone should invent a neologism to describe the rhetorical tactic and logical fallacy used to deflect criticism by responding to an accusation with a counter-accusation, shifting focus away from the original issue. Perhaps it’s already been done?
To be honest there are some on here whose use of whataboutery is legend
I’ve not seen such. Just repetitive “what about x” with desperation when various subjects come up.
Quality WhatAboutery used to be a major product of the Northern Ireland service sector. It’s really fallen off though. Another British industry shuttered.
Sad lack of Irish Republicans on this site to pick you up on the "British" descriptor there. Shame. This morning was too good natured - we needed a row.
Them’uns - always asleep on the job.
Back in the day, Gerry would be firing up the Black&Decker, if they’d slacked off like this.
Whataboutism, combined with the sly dig, disguised as innocent comment. You intend to insult the other person, then pretend to be annoyed when they react.
Any chance that the countries trying to export the oil and LNG will police the shipping lanes?
HIghly doubtful, that's proper Navy stuff. I doubt the UAE Navy can find the Dubai Creek using Waze.
I think SKS will find it hard to resist DJT's order. Chance of getting back in the good books and reflected glory if, by some miracle, it goes well vs. HMS Dragon on the bottom of the Iranian Gulf. At least there wouldn't be endless C-17 rotations of coffins coming into BZZ. The sea keeps those whom she takes.
It should be very easy to resist DJT’s orders - firstly it’s not our war and secondly exactly what are they thinking we can do that would actually help.
But it would be rather harder to ignore a request from local Governments
So strange when people say that female politicians are judged on clothes and looks in a way that male politicians aren’t. Corbyn got dogs abuse for his dress sense, including from David Cameron, Rishi Sunak’s height was mocked constantly, Boris Johnson’s weight and hair were picked apart by lefties, Farage’s teeth are ridiculed, and so on
Gordon Brown was criticised for being a stiff in the same way that Keir Starmer is for being wooden and boring; it seems to me that all politicians get stick for their image, and the fact is that it’s no different for women, why should it be?
So, Cooper. Back in my Labour days I chose not to vote for Cooper because I thought she was a bit crap, not because she was a woman. And the reasons I thought she was a bit crap weren't because she was a woman either.
Its the same as the "Rachel in Accounts" jibe. She's a terrible Chancellor but not because she's a woman. We've had really really terrible chancellors before her with no clue what he was doing without them being given a derogatory accounts girl label.
In my view merit is key, whether man or woman. Why doesn't the country/party/school/charity/club deserve the best available? It doesn't seem to me that Ms Cooper would be any improvement on SKS; and if even her supporters feel that Labour members wouldn't vote for her it doesn't give me any confidence that they feel she would be better.
If NATO countries cave to Trump’s bullying now they’ll be doing themselves major damage. We have known this administration long enough to understand that it sees agreement and compromise as weakness. It’ll encourage Trump to bully more. He needs to be told to take a running jump, ideally with some threats thrown in - to US continued use of basis, and to defence procurement. Maybe a little bit of Epstein too.
To be honest it’s this threat that makes me think - more than oil prices or sanctions - that Puton is behind this.
If he can reframe NATO as an aggressor rather than a purely defensive alliance (that it is) that is hugely valuable from a geopolitical perspective
There’s clearly a need for someone to “do something” about the straits, and it’s a global economic challenge. And apparently the US don't have the capability.
It’s somewhat disappointing that the big spending Saudi, Qatari and UAE governments with all their FDI and oil money haven’t been able to muster something. They are after all on the doorstep and it’s their economies that are most dramatically affected.
A deeply buried pipeline that cuts through the UAE to Oman, with another to Saudi.
The ultimate loading terminals protected with defensive means to shoot down all that is fired at them from some way out. That needs to be 100% guaranteed. The ultimate in layered defense.
And the destruction of any vessel that leaves Iranian harbours on the Gulf. 100% Reaper-type drone coverage of the coast along its entire length, 24/7.
Yes, it will be expensive. But cheaper than the weaponry the US has fired off in the past 15 days.
The expense isn’t the problem - the problem is what do you do in the years it takes to build said pipelines and the docks at the end that will be required to receive the oil and gas.
If NATO countries cave to Trump’s bullying now they’ll be doing themselves major damage. We have known this administration long enough to understand that it sees agreement and compromise as weakness. It’ll encourage Trump to bully more. He needs to be told to take a running jump, ideally with some threats thrown in - to US continued use of basis, and to defence procurement. Maybe a little bit of Epstein too.
To be honest it’s this threat that makes me think - more than oil prices or sanctions - that Puton is behind this.
If he can reframe NATO as an aggressor rather than a purely defensive alliance (that it is) that is hugely valuable from a geopolitical perspective
There’s clearly a need for someone to “do something” about the straits, and it’s a global economic challenge. And apparently the US don't have the capability.
It’s somewhat disappointing that the big spending Saudi, Qatari and UAE governments with all their FDI and oil money haven’t been able to muster something. They are after all on the doorstep and it’s their economies that are most dramatically affected.
A deeply buried pipeline that cuts through the UAE to Oman, with another to Saudi.
The ultimate loading terminals protected with defensive means to shoot down all that is fired at them from some way out. That needs to be 100% guaranteed. The ultimate in layered defense.
And the destruction of any vessel that leaves Iranian harbours on the Gulf. 100% Reaper-type drone coverage of the coast along its entire length, 24/7.
Yes, it will be expensive. But cheaper than the weaponry the US has fired off in the past 15 days.
The expense isn’t the problem - the problem is what do you do in the years it takes to build said pipelines and the docks at the end that will be required to receive the oil and gas.
And the terminals at each end will make a lovely fixed target.
Any chance that the countries trying to export the oil and LNG will police the shipping lanes?
HIghly doubtful, that's proper Navy stuff. I doubt the UAE Navy can find the Dubai Creek using Waze.
I think SKS will find it hard to resist DJT's order. Chance of getting back in the good books and reflected glory if, by some miracle, it goes well vs. HMS Dragon on the bottom of the Iranian Gulf. At least there wouldn't be endless C-17 rotations of coffins coming into BZZ. The sea keeps those whom she takes.
If China as the buyer of the oil were to do it, Iran would be back in its box. A couple of frigates would be enough, just pottering around the Straits, waving to the passing tankers.
But can you imagine how Trump would take that slight on his tiny manhood?
Trump called on China to help and says he will delay his summit there if they don’t.
Which gives them 2 more reasons to not help - as I suspect they don’t care about the summit
Possibly one of the worst policies announced by a British government in the first 24 years of this century.
I wasn't old enough to really understand the whole HIPs thing, from my limited understanding they seem pretty sensible. One survey, all the info needed already assembled etc. It should have improved the house buying process, why the pretty universal hate for it?
At least one problem is that the seller was responsible for obtaining it. But buyers' solicitors advised that because they hadn't obtained it, it couldn't be relied upon (probably rightly) and therefore they would have to do their own checks.
It's basically the same situation when you buy a leasehold house on that nice new estate and are 'advised' you have to use the solicitor who also acts for the housebuilder (to save on costs you see). When you do, that solicitor has a massive conflict of interest and (in reality) acts in the best interest of the seller, not in your best interests and after you sign you find you've entered into a 20 year lease with a £1m ground rent.
They were useless as they couldn't be relied upon.
They weren't entirely useless as an indirect means to get homeowners to get properties up to code in terms of electrics etc. But it's not a very efficient way of doing that, and you're right about the contradictions inherent in them.
If NATO countries cave to Trump’s bullying now they’ll be doing themselves major damage. We have known this administration long enough to understand that it sees agreement and compromise as weakness. It’ll encourage Trump to bully more. He needs to be told to take a running jump, ideally with some threats thrown in - to US continued use of basis, and to defence procurement. Maybe a little bit of Epstein too.
To be honest it’s this threat that makes me think - more than oil prices or sanctions - that Puton is behind this.
If he can reframe NATO as an aggressor rather than a purely defensive alliance (that it is) that is hugely valuable from a geopolitical perspective
There’s clearly a need for someone to “do something” about the straits, and it’s a global economic challenge. And apparently the US don't have the capability.
It’s somewhat disappointing that the big spending Saudi, Qatari and UAE governments with all their FDI and oil money haven’t been able to muster something. They are after all on the doorstep and it’s their economies that are most dramatically affected.
A deeply buried pipeline that cuts through the UAE to Oman, with another to Saudi.
The ultimate loading terminals protected with defensive means to shoot down all that is fired at them from some way out. That needs to be 100% guaranteed. The ultimate in layered defense.
And the destruction of any vessel that leaves Iranian harbours on the Gulf. 100% Reaper-type drone coverage of the coast along its entire length, 24/7.
Yes, it will be expensive. But cheaper than the weaponry the US has fired off in the past 15 days.
That would require considerable planning, consultation between sovereign states, and time to implement. Everything Trump's operation lacks.
For those interested in the North Sea future extraction debate, a useful explainer. Some takeaways
O&G production due to fall by a third over the next five years. (Can't be the fault of the current government, and probably not the previous one either).
Almost all UK North Sea oil is exported due to lack of refinery capacity. Imports of (mostly refined) oil currently twice exports.
There are significant unlicensed reserves and contingent supplies, which are not currently being developed. Not clear to me how much of this is viable but it may be an extra 5% to 10% of total production to date.
The current government had a manifesto commitment not to develop new fields. Looks like they may be U Turning on this.
New development is largely irrelevant to UK's energy security due to the lack of refinery capacity and because of the relatively small amount of extra production. Renewables give us energy security.
We’re largely a bunch of middle aged to old white men on a form of message board that had its heyday 15-20 years ago. And it’s Monday morning. What do you expect?
Good morning
I agree that @Alanbrooke description of Cooper was unkind but then some of the comments on here about Kemi are at times even worse and it is simply unnecessary
I was involved with Cooper and her department over hips with many trips to London to discuss the pros and cons and frankly she just dld not listen
I do not think she or Miliband are labour's answer to the Starmer question but then who is ?
My wife and I are to set off shortly on our 2 day train excursion to Edinburgh so will not be posting much as we want to enjoy the journeys and ever changing scenery
Yes “whatabout” the unkind things that people say about Kemi. Someone should invent a neologism to describe the rhetorical tactic and logical fallacy used to deflect criticism by responding to an accusation with a counter-accusation, shifting focus away from the original issue. Perhaps it’s already been done?
To be honest there are some on here whose use of whataboutery is legend
I’ve not seen such. Just repetitive “what about x” with desperation when various subjects come up.
Quality WhatAboutery used to be a major product of the Northern Ireland service sector. It’s really fallen off though. Another British industry shuttered.
Sad lack of Irish Republicans on this site to pick you up on the "British" descriptor there. Shame. This morning was too good natured - we needed a row.
Them’uns - always asleep on the job.
Back in the day, Gerry would be firing up the Black&Decker, if they’d slacked off like this.
Whataboutism, combined with the sly dig, disguised as innocent comment. You intend to insult the other person, then pretend to be annoyed when they react.
The parry-repost-parry thing is where top whataboutism is.
I recall a shitty film, years ago, which included a booby trap expert. His thing was setting a booby trap that causes people to blunder into the next body trap which causes them.....
Any chance that the countries trying to export the oil and LNG will police the shipping lanes?
HIghly doubtful, that's proper Navy stuff. I doubt the UAE Navy can find the Dubai Creek using Waze.
I think SKS will find it hard to resist DJT's order. Chance of getting back in the good books and reflected glory if, by some miracle, it goes well vs. HMS Dragon on the bottom of the Iranian Gulf. At least there wouldn't be endless C-17 rotations of coffins coming into BZZ. The sea keeps those whom she takes.
It should be very easy to resist DJT’s orders - firstly it’s not our war and secondly exactly what are they thinking we can do that would actually help.
But it would be rather harder to ignore a request from local Governments
If NATO countries cave to Trump’s bullying now they’ll be doing themselves major damage. We have known this administration long enough to understand that it sees agreement and compromise as weakness. It’ll encourage Trump to bully more. He needs to be told to take a running jump, ideally with some threats thrown in - to US continued use of basis, and to defence procurement. Maybe a little bit of Epstein too.
To be honest it’s this threat that makes me think - more than oil prices or sanctions - that Puton is behind this.
If he can reframe NATO as an aggressor rather than a purely defensive alliance (that it is) that is hugely valuable from a geopolitical perspective
There’s clearly a need for someone to “do something” about the straits, and it’s a global economic challenge. And apparently the US don't have the capability.
It’s somewhat disappointing that the big spending Saudi, Qatari and UAE governments with all their FDI and oil money haven’t been able to muster something. They are after all on the doorstep and it’s their economies that are most dramatically affected.
A deeply buried pipeline that cuts through the UAE to Oman, with another to Saudi.
The ultimate loading terminals protected with defensive means to shoot down all that is fired at them from some way out. That needs to be 100% guaranteed. The ultimate in layered defense.
And the destruction of any vessel that leaves Iranian harbours on the Gulf. 100% Reaper-type drone coverage of the coast along its entire length, 24/7.
Yes, it will be expensive. But cheaper than the weaponry the US has fired off in the past 15 days.
That would require considerable planning, consultation between sovereign states, and time to implement. Everything Trump's operation lacks.
Yup.
The top of the military and the intelligence communities must be seething.
Of course they will do as ordered by the C-in-C. But they can still think it fuckwittery of the highest order.
My view on HIPs is that they were torpedoed by special interests. My daughter agreed to buy a house last year, and then backed out after the survey came back, revealing the extent of the work that needed to be done. How many other buyers paid for a surveyor to produce the same survey?
Of course surveyors didn't have any interest in a system that would reduce the number of surveys done.
Obviously, Cooper being unable to overcome opposition from a small special interest group like surveyors to push through a sensible reform to reduce the cost and complexity of the house-buying process, speaks poorly to her ability as a politician to get anything useful done.
As with Starmer himself the question arises, why aren't there better politicians so that Cooper can be safely returned to the backbenches?
Starmer is, according to most, really boring, uncharismatic, and lacks the common touch. Whatever you think of Labour MPs, they are unlikely to choose a successor who is even more boring, even less charismatic, and shows no sign of having the common touch. So that rules out Cooper.
My view on HIPs is that they were torpedoed by special interests. My daughter agreed to buy a house last year, and then backed out after the survey came back, revealing the extent of the work that would be needed to be done. How many other buyers paid for a surveyor to produce the same survey?
Of course surveyors didn't have any interest in a system that would reduce the number of surveys done.
Of course, Cooper being unable to overcome opposition from a small special interest group like surveyors to push through a sensible reform to reduce the cost and complexity of the house-buying process, speaks poorly to her ability as a politician to get anything useful done.
As with Starmer himself the question arises, why aren't there better politicians so that Cooper can be safely returned to the backbenches?
The problem with HIPS was that there was no answer to the issue of conflicts of interest and (legal) trust. At that point they were just extra paperwork.
The sensible solution would be to look at other countries and how they manage buying and selling of properties - there are a vast range of systems out there.
So strange when people say that female politicians are judged on clothes and looks in a way that male politicians aren’t. Corbyn got dogs abuse for his dress sense, including from David Cameron, Rishi Sunak’s height was mocked constantly, Boris Johnson’s weight and hair were picked apart by lefties, Farage’s teeth are ridiculed, and so on
Gordon Brown was criticised for being a stiff in the same way that Keir Starmer is for being wooden and boring; it seems to me that all politicians get stick for their image, and the fact is that it’s no different for women, why should it be?
The only thing we've recently heard about Cooper is that she had a row with "Rachel from accounts" over economic policy. I am slightly surprised @Alanbrooke hasn't taken more of a shine to her.
Both left and right and even the soggy Lib Dems and Greens have a woman problem.
Not to mention this forum, which needs a considerable dose of self-awareness on this issue as well.
Have a good day.
Apropos of which, I learnt today that the first leader of a political party in Ireland was Margaret Buckley, leader of Sinn Féin from 1937. Sinn Féin, of course, also had the first woman elected to Westminster (although she didn't take her seat), in 1918.
Starmer is, according to most, really boring, uncharismatic, and lacks the common touch. Whatever you think of Labour MPs, they are unlikely to choose a successor who is even more boring, even less charismatic, and shows no sign of having the common touch. So that rules out Cooper.
That assumes rational decision making by politicians.
As the great philosopher remarked - "Assumption makes an 'ass' out of you and 'umption'."
If NATO countries cave to Trump’s bullying now they’ll be doing themselves major damage. We have known this administration long enough to understand that it sees agreement and compromise as weakness. It’ll encourage Trump to bully more. He needs to be told to take a running jump, ideally with some threats thrown in - to US continued use of basis, and to defence procurement. Maybe a little bit of Epstein too.
To be honest it’s this threat that makes me think - more than oil prices or sanctions - that Puton is behind this.
If he can reframe NATO as an aggressor rather than a purely defensive alliance (that it is) that is hugely valuable from a geopolitical perspective
There’s clearly a need for someone to “do something” about the straits, and it’s a global economic challenge. And apparently the US don't have the capability.
It’s somewhat disappointing that the big spending Saudi, Qatari and UAE governments with all their FDI and oil money haven’t been able to muster something. They are after all on the doorstep and it’s their economies that are most dramatically affected.
A deeply buried pipeline that cuts through the UAE to Oman, with another to Saudi.
The ultimate loading terminals protected with defensive means to shoot down all that is fired at them from some way out. That needs to be 100% guaranteed. The ultimate in layered defense.
And the destruction of any vessel that leaves Iranian harbours on the Gulf. 100% Reaper-type drone coverage of the coast along its entire length, 24/7.
Yes, it will be expensive. But cheaper than the weaponry the US has fired off in the past 15 days.
The expense isn’t the problem - the problem is what do you do in the years it takes to build said pipelines and the docks at the end that will be required to receive the oil and gas.
And the terminals at each end will make a lovely fixed target.
The learning curve the ME has gone through in the last fortnight is that it can't defend fixed points from a multitude of cheap drones. One Patriot battery is bugger all use. The Ukraine War tactics come to the Gulf.
It will be very different in even two years time. By which time, Ukrainian companies will have made a killing.
So strange when people say that female politicians are judged on clothes and looks in a way that male politicians aren’t. Corbyn got dogs abuse for his dress sense, including from David Cameron, Rishi Sunak’s height was mocked constantly, Boris Johnson’s weight and hair were picked apart by lefties, Farage’s teeth are ridiculed, and so on
Gordon Brown was criticised for being a stiff in the same way that Keir Starmer is for being wooden and boring; it seems to me that all politicians get stick for their image, and the fact is that it’s no different for women, why should it be?
I have no recollection of Farage's teeth ever being ridiculed.
If NATO countries cave to Trump’s bullying now they’ll be doing themselves major damage. We have known this administration long enough to understand that it sees agreement and compromise as weakness. It’ll encourage Trump to bully more. He needs to be told to take a running jump, ideally with some threats thrown in - to US continued use of basis, and to defence procurement. Maybe a little bit of Epstein too.
To be honest it’s this threat that makes me think - more than oil prices or sanctions - that Puton is behind this.
If he can reframe NATO as an aggressor rather than a purely defensive alliance (that it is) that is hugely valuable from a geopolitical perspective
There’s clearly a need for someone to “do something” about the straits, and it’s a global economic challenge. And apparently the US don't have the capability.
It’s somewhat disappointing that the big spending Saudi, Qatari and UAE governments with all their FDI and oil money haven’t been able to muster something. They are after all on the doorstep and it’s their economies that are most dramatically affected.
A deeply buried pipeline that cuts through the UAE to Oman, with another to Saudi.
The ultimate loading terminals protected with defensive means to shoot down all that is fired at them from some way out. That needs to be 100% guaranteed. The ultimate in layered defense.
And the destruction of any vessel that leaves Iranian harbours on the Gulf. 100% Reaper-type drone coverage of the coast along its entire length, 24/7.
Yes, it will be expensive. But cheaper than the weaponry the US has fired off in the past 15 days.
The expense isn’t the problem - the problem is what do you do in the years it takes to build said pipelines and the docks at the end that will be required to receive the oil and gas.
And the terminals at each end will make a lovely fixed target.
The learning curve the ME has gone through in the last fortnight is that it can't defend fixed points from a multitude of cheap drones. One Patriot battery is bugger all use. The Ukraine War tactics come to the Gulf.
It will be very different in even two years time. By which time, Ukrainian companies will have made a killing.
You seem to have missed the large number of strikes by ballistic missiles. Especially those aimed at radars.
That's probably what you'd use against the oil terminals. A couple of tons of HE arriving at Mach Lots.
If NATO countries cave to Trump’s bullying now they’ll be doing themselves major damage. We have known this administration long enough to understand that it sees agreement and compromise as weakness. It’ll encourage Trump to bully more. He needs to be told to take a running jump, ideally with some threats thrown in - to US continued use of basis, and to defence procurement. Maybe a little bit of Epstein too.
To be honest it’s this threat that makes me think - more than oil prices or sanctions - that Puton is behind this.
If he can reframe NATO as an aggressor rather than a purely defensive alliance (that it is) that is hugely valuable from a geopolitical perspective
There’s clearly a need for someone to “do something” about the straits, and it’s a global economic challenge. And apparently the US don't have the capability.
It’s somewhat disappointing that the big spending Saudi, Qatari and UAE governments with all their FDI and oil money haven’t been able to muster something. They are after all on the doorstep and it’s their economies that are most dramatically affected.
A deeply buried pipeline that cuts through the UAE to Oman, with another to Saudi.
The ultimate loading terminals protected with defensive means to shoot down all that is fired at them from some way out. That needs to be 100% guaranteed. The ultimate in layered defense.
And the destruction of any vessel that leaves Iranian harbours on the Gulf. 100% Reaper-type drone coverage of the coast along its entire length, 24/7.
Yes, it will be expensive. But cheaper than the weaponry the US has fired off in the past 15 days.
The expense isn’t the problem - the problem is what do you do in the years it takes to build said pipelines and the docks at the end that will be required to receive the oil and gas.
If the blockade of Hormuz lasts more than maybe a year, the world will have learned to live without Gulf oil and gas. A combination of other sources stepping up and doing without oil and gas. Devastating for Gulf economies.
The road leads to Tehran and doing a deal. Everyone is in denial.
If NATO countries cave to Trump’s bullying now they’ll be doing themselves major damage. We have known this administration long enough to understand that it sees agreement and compromise as weakness. It’ll encourage Trump to bully more. He needs to be told to take a running jump, ideally with some threats thrown in - to US continued use of basis, and to defence procurement. Maybe a little bit of Epstein too.
I kinda feel Europeans should grasp the reality that NATO is dead, take the initiative in dissolving it themselves (and replacing it with New-NATO (all the current NATO members, minus the US, and minus Hungary/Slovakia unless they pick the right side on Ukraine v Russia), and ask the Yanks to go home.
Hungary and Slovakia are both in PESCO and therefore somewhat intertwined with rest of Europe on defence matters so it's not as simple as just kicking them both out of the group chat on WhatsApp. I also don't think the Europe That Matters (France, Germany, Spain and Italy) would be keen on pushing Hungary and Slovakia out and even further into the Russian sphere of influence just for the sake of Ukraine. Particularly if Bardella (or Zemmour or Mélenchon) win the election next year.
Any chance that the countries trying to export the oil and LNG will police the shipping lanes?
HIghly doubtful, that's proper Navy stuff. I doubt the UAE Navy can find the Dubai Creek using Waze.
I think SKS will find it hard to resist DJT's order. Chance of getting back in the good books and reflected glory if, by some miracle, it goes well vs. HMS Dragon on the bottom of the Iranian Gulf. At least there wouldn't be endless C-17 rotations of coffins coming into BZZ. The sea keeps those whom she takes.
Drone mine hunting might be the choice for Mr Britas - the RN has been banging on about their capability in that regard for years,
Brittas.
Britas gets pronounced as Bright Ass. Which doesn't seem very applicable...
If NATO countries cave to Trump’s bullying now they’ll be doing themselves major damage. We have known this administration long enough to understand that it sees agreement and compromise as weakness. It’ll encourage Trump to bully more. He needs to be told to take a running jump, ideally with some threats thrown in - to US continued use of basis, and to defence procurement. Maybe a little bit of Epstein too.
I kinda feel Europeans should grasp the reality that NATO is dead, take the initiative in dissolving it themselves (and replacing it with New-NATO (all the current NATO members, minus the US, and minus Hungary/Slovakia unless they pick the right side on Ukraine v Russia), and ask the Yanks to go home.
It's probably more sensible to maintain the fiction of its existence until Europe has filled the critical gaps in its defence capability (such as missile defence), but it feels like Europe is only reacting at the moment.
Even if they found the balls to do it, they'd have to drag daddy luvvin cuck Rutte out of the building by his heels to dissolve the current iteration. Not going to happen until Trump finally follows through on one of his dementia driven threats, and even then..
My view on HIPs is that they were torpedoed by special interests. My daughter agreed to buy a house last year, and then backed out after the survey came back, revealing the extent of the work that would be needed to be done. How many other buyers paid for a surveyor to produce the same survey?
Of course surveyors didn't have any interest in a system that would reduce the number of surveys done.
Of course, Cooper being unable to overcome opposition from a small special interest group like surveyors to push through a sensible reform to reduce the cost and complexity of the house-buying process, speaks poorly to her ability as a politician to get anything useful done.
As with Starmer himself the question arises, why aren't there better politicians so that Cooper can be safely returned to the backbenches?
The problem with HIPS was that there was no answer to the issue of conflicts of interest and (legal) trust. At that point they were just extra paperwork.
The sensible solution would be to look at other countries and how they manage buying and selling of properties - there are a vast range of systems out there.
I don't think the issue of legal trust and conflict of interest is insurmountable. They literally use the system of the seller having a survey done in Scotland, so they obviously have a way round it.
If NATO countries cave to Trump’s bullying now they’ll be doing themselves major damage. We have known this administration long enough to understand that it sees agreement and compromise as weakness. It’ll encourage Trump to bully more. He needs to be told to take a running jump, ideally with some threats thrown in - to US continued use of basis, and to defence procurement. Maybe a little bit of Epstein too.
I kinda feel Europeans should grasp the reality that NATO is dead, take the initiative in dissolving it themselves (and replacing it with New-NATO (all the current NATO members, minus the US, and minus Hungary/Slovakia unless they pick the right side on Ukraine v Russia), and ask the Yanks to go home.
Hungary and Slovakia are both in PESCO and therefore somewhat intertwined with rest of Europe on defence matters so it's not as simple as just kicking them both out of the group chat on WhatsApp. I also don't think the Europe That Matters (France, Germany, Spain and Italy) would be keen on pushing Hungary and Slovakia out and even further into the Russian sphere of influence just for the sake of Ukraine. Particularly if Bardella (or Zemmour or Mélenchon) win the election next year.
If Orban is reelected (which would likely require the election to be rigged), I think most if Europe would be more than happy to boot Hungary out.
My view on HIPs is that they were torpedoed by special interests. My daughter agreed to buy a house last year, and then backed out after the survey came back, revealing the extent of the work that would be needed to be done. How many other buyers paid for a surveyor to produce the same survey?
Of course surveyors didn't have any interest in a system that would reduce the number of surveys done.
Of course, Cooper being unable to overcome opposition from a small special interest group like surveyors to push through a sensible reform to reduce the cost and complexity of the house-buying process, speaks poorly to her ability as a politician to get anything useful done.
As with Starmer himself the question arises, why aren't there better politicians so that Cooper can be safely returned to the backbenches?
The problem with HIPS was that there was no answer to the issue of conflicts of interest and (legal) trust. At that point they were just extra paperwork.
The sensible solution would be to look at other countries and how they manage buying and selling of properties - there are a vast range of systems out there.
I don't think the issue of legal trust and conflict of interest is insurmountable. They literally use the system of the seller having a survey done in Scotland, so they obviously have a way round it.
They didn't manage to answer the question with HIPS - which suggests that they needed to look around to see how other people had solved the issue.
So strange when people say that female politicians are judged on clothes and looks in a way that male politicians aren’t. Corbyn got dogs abuse for his dress sense, including from David Cameron, Rishi Sunak’s height was mocked constantly, Boris Johnson’s weight and hair were picked apart by lefties, Farage’s teeth are ridiculed, and so on
Gordon Brown was criticised for being a stiff in the same way that Keir Starmer is for being wooden and boring; it seems to me that all politicians get stick for their image, and the fact is that it’s no different for women, why should it be?
I have no recollection of Farage's teeth ever being ridiculed.
I do the dental sledging around here and have previously laid into Johnson, Big Rish and Little Miss Angry on the subject but never the Padishah of Clacton.
I have noticed that bro is looking old beyond his years lately. I do hope he is seriously unwell.
If NATO countries cave to Trump’s bullying now they’ll be doing themselves major damage. We have known this administration long enough to understand that it sees agreement and compromise as weakness. It’ll encourage Trump to bully more. He needs to be told to take a running jump, ideally with some threats thrown in - to US continued use of basis, and to defence procurement. Maybe a little bit of Epstein too.
To be honest it’s this threat that makes me think - more than oil prices or sanctions - that Puton is behind this.
If he can reframe NATO as an aggressor rather than a purely defensive alliance (that it is) that is hugely valuable from a geopolitical perspective
There’s clearly a need for someone to “do something” about the straits, and it’s a global economic challenge. And apparently the US don't have the capability.
It’s somewhat disappointing that the big spending Saudi, Qatari and UAE governments with all their FDI and oil money haven’t been able to muster something. They are after all on the doorstep and it’s their economies that are most dramatically affected.
A deeply buried pipeline that cuts through the UAE to Oman, with another to Saudi.
The ultimate loading terminals protected with defensive means to shoot down all that is fired at them from some way out. That needs to be 100% guaranteed. The ultimate in layered defense.
And the destruction of any vessel that leaves Iranian harbours on the Gulf. 100% Reaper-type drone coverage of the coast along its entire length, 24/7.
Yes, it will be expensive. But cheaper than the weaponry the US has fired off in the past 15 days.
The expense isn’t the problem - the problem is what do you do in the years it takes to build said pipelines and the docks at the end that will be required to receive the oil and gas.
And the terminals at each end will make a lovely fixed target.
The learning curve the ME has gone through in the last fortnight is that it can't defend fixed points from a multitude of cheap drones. One Patriot battery is bugger all use. The Ukraine War tactics come to the Gulf.
It will be very different in even two years time. By which time, Ukrainian companies will have made a killing.
The chance that British companies had to invest in Ukranian new-tech military has just disappeared.
The GCC States are throwing money at the problem. They have money.
Great news for GCC States, also great news for Ukrainian companies receiveing billions in investment. Not so good for regular expensive Western MIC who are still thinking about the last war and not the next one.
So strange when people say that female politicians are judged on clothes and looks in a way that male politicians aren’t. Corbyn got dogs abuse for his dress sense, including from David Cameron, Rishi Sunak’s height was mocked constantly, Boris Johnson’s weight and hair were picked apart by lefties, Farage’s teeth are ridiculed, and so on
Gordon Brown was criticised for being a stiff in the same way that Keir Starmer is for being wooden and boring; it seems to me that all politicians get stick for their image, and the fact is that it’s no different for women, why should it be?
I have no recollection of Farage's teeth ever being ridiculed.
I do the dental sledging around here and have previously laid into Johnson, Big Rish and Little Miss Angry on the subject but never the Padishah of Clacton.
I have noticed that bro is looking old beyond his years lately. I do hope he is seriously unwell.
I think it's his halitosis that's usually brought up.
My view on HIPs is that they were torpedoed by special interests. My daughter agreed to buy a house last year, and then backed out after the survey came back, revealing the extent of the work that needed to be done. How many other buyers paid for a surveyor to produce the same survey?
Of course surveyors didn't have any interest in a system that would reduce the number of surveys done.
Obviously, Cooper being unable to overcome opposition from a small special interest group like surveyors to push through a sensible reform to reduce the cost and complexity of the house-buying process, speaks poorly to her ability as a politician to get anything useful done.
As with Starmer himself the question arises, why aren't there better politicians so that Cooper can be safely returned to the backbenches?
And yet in Scotland - the survey is done by the seller before the first buyer is told the property is up for sale
My view on HIPs is that they were torpedoed by special interests. My daughter agreed to buy a house last year, and then backed out after the survey came back, revealing the extent of the work that would be needed to be done. How many other buyers paid for a surveyor to produce the same survey?
Of course surveyors didn't have any interest in a system that would reduce the number of surveys done.
Of course, Cooper being unable to overcome opposition from a small special interest group like surveyors to push through a sensible reform to reduce the cost and complexity of the house-buying process, speaks poorly to her ability as a politician to get anything useful done.
As with Starmer himself the question arises, why aren't there better politicians so that Cooper can be safely returned to the backbenches?
The problem with HIPS was that there was no answer to the issue of conflicts of interest and (legal) trust. At that point they were just extra paperwork.
The sensible solution would be to look at other countries and how they manage buying and selling of properties - there are a vast range of systems out there.
I don't think the issue of legal trust and conflict of interest is insurmountable. They literally use the system of the seller having a survey done in Scotland, so they obviously have a way round it.
IIRC in Scotland the survey is done by a chartered surveyor with professional indemnity insurance.
The HIPS proposal was for a bunch of relatively unqualified people to provide the HIPS and expect the buyer and their bank to accept them. Which of course they didn’t.
My view on HIPs is that they were torpedoed by special interests. My daughter agreed to buy a house last year, and then backed out after the survey came back, revealing the extent of the work that would be needed to be done. How many other buyers paid for a surveyor to produce the same survey?
Of course surveyors didn't have any interest in a system that would reduce the number of surveys done.
Of course, Cooper being unable to overcome opposition from a small special interest group like surveyors to push through a sensible reform to reduce the cost and complexity of the house-buying process, speaks poorly to her ability as a politician to get anything useful done.
As with Starmer himself the question arises, why aren't there better politicians so that Cooper can be safely returned to the backbenches?
The problem with HIPS was that there was no answer to the issue of conflicts of interest and (legal) trust. At that point they were just extra paperwork.
The sensible solution would be to look at other countries and how they manage buying and selling of properties - there are a vast range of systems out there.
I don't think the issue of legal trust and conflict of interest is insurmountable. They literally use the system of the seller having a survey done in Scotland, so they obviously have a way round it.
They didn't manage to answer the question with HIPS - which suggests that they needed to look around to see how other people had solved the issue.
HIPs is a classic example of half brained people looking for a problem to fix without paying attention to how the rest of the world has already fixed said problem.
See HIPs, how most of Europe use their local councils to build the infrastructure for housing first (so taking a bigger share of the profits) and numerous other examples
If NATO countries cave to Trump’s bullying now they’ll be doing themselves major damage. We have known this administration long enough to understand that it sees agreement and compromise as weakness. It’ll encourage Trump to bully more. He needs to be told to take a running jump, ideally with some threats thrown in - to US continued use of basis, and to defence procurement. Maybe a little bit of Epstein too.
To be honest it’s this threat that makes me think - more than oil prices or sanctions - that Puton is behind this.
If he can reframe NATO as an aggressor rather than a purely defensive alliance (that it is) that is hugely valuable from a geopolitical perspective
There’s clearly a need for someone to “do something” about the straits, and it’s a global economic challenge. And apparently the US don't have the capability.
It’s somewhat disappointing that the big spending Saudi, Qatari and UAE governments with all their FDI and oil money haven’t been able to muster something. They are after all on the doorstep and it’s their economies that are most dramatically affected.
A deeply buried pipeline that cuts through the UAE to Oman, with another to Saudi.
The ultimate loading terminals protected with defensive means to shoot down all that is fired at them from some way out. That needs to be 100% guaranteed. The ultimate in layered defense.
And the destruction of any vessel that leaves Iranian harbours on the Gulf. 100% Reaper-type drone coverage of the coast along its entire length, 24/7.
Yes, it will be expensive. But cheaper than the weaponry the US has fired off in the past 15 days.
The expense isn’t the problem - the problem is what do you do in the years it takes to build said pipelines and the docks at the end that will be required to receive the oil and gas.
And the terminals at each end will make a lovely fixed target.
The learning curve the ME has gone through in the last fortnight is that it can't defend fixed points from a multitude of cheap drones. One Patriot battery is bugger all use. The Ukraine War tactics come to the Gulf.
It will be very different in even two years time. By which time, Ukrainian companies will have made a killing.
The chance that British companies had to invest in Ukranian new-tech military has just disappeared.
The GCC States are throwing money at the problem. They have money.
Great news for GCC States, also great news for Ukrainian companies receiveing billions in investment. Not so good for regular expensive Western MIC who are still thinking about the last war and not the next one.
That won't much affect the industrial collaboration agreements in place and being developed. The gulf states are (for now) largely customers.
Starting with the obvious - all politicians are ridiculed, they always have been. Go back to some of the cartoons in Punch in the 20th century and they were pretty merciless.
Indeed, it's almost a badge of honour to be ridiculed among politicians I would imagine. In the period of social media, the ridicule from those completely hostile is often as cruel, if not worst and of course being social media it's laced with misinformation, misconception or just plain lies.
I don't understand the constant unremitting hostility toward Starmer, Reeves, Badenoch, Davey, Farage or Polanski - really I don't. Among some on here, it's almost a kind of hysteria. The only theory I've got is for many of us our formative years were the 1970s and that was a polarising era and I can see why some who lived through it developed a visceral antipathy to "Labour Government" in all its forms.
As a wise man once said, that was then and this is now - it's 50 years later yet the experiences of those times still seemingly resonate.
On topic, I don't see Starmer going even if Labour lose 1000 seats in May - Major was challenged after the Conservatives lost 2000 seats in a single night (unsuccessfully). The other side is whether there's any single figure under whom Labour would be doing demonstrably better and given we're likely three years off an election, it's often easier to change leader closer to Polling Day.
We’re largely a bunch of middle aged to old white men on a form of message board that had its heyday 15-20 years ago. And it’s Monday morning. What do you expect?
Good morning
I agree that @Alanbrooke description of Cooper was unkind but then some of the comments on here about Kemi are at times even worse and it is simply unnecessary
I was involved with Cooper and her department over hips with many trips to London to discuss the pros and cons and frankly she just dld not listen
I do not think she or Miliband are labour's answer to the Starmer question but then who is ?
My wife and I are to set off shortly on our 2 day train excursion to Edinburgh so will not be posting much as we want to enjoy the journeys and ever changing scenery
Yes “whatabout” the unkind things that people say about Kemi. Someone should invent a neologism to describe the rhetorical tactic and logical fallacy used to deflect criticism by responding to an accusation with a counter-accusation, shifting focus away from the original issue. Perhaps it’s already been done?
To be honest there are some on here whose use of whataboutery is legend
I’ve not seen such. Just repetitive “what about x” with desperation when various subjects come up.
Quality WhatAboutery used to be a major product of the Northern Ireland service sector. It’s really fallen off though. Another British industry shuttered.
Sad lack of Irish Republicans on this site to pick you up on the "British" descriptor there. Shame. This morning was too good natured - we needed a row.
To be sure, to be sure, to be sure.
Also you can be British and Republican. The monarchy is as anachronistic as the Church.
If NATO countries cave to Trump’s bullying now they’ll be doing themselves major damage. We have known this administration long enough to understand that it sees agreement and compromise as weakness. It’ll encourage Trump to bully more. He needs to be told to take a running jump, ideally with some threats thrown in - to US continued use of basis, and to defence procurement. Maybe a little bit of Epstein too.
To be honest it’s this threat that makes me think - more than oil prices or sanctions - that Puton is behind this.
If he can reframe NATO as an aggressor rather than a purely defensive alliance (that it is) that is hugely valuable from a geopolitical perspective
There’s clearly a need for someone to “do something” about the straits, and it’s a global economic challenge. And apparently the US don't have the capability.
It’s somewhat disappointing that the big spending Saudi, Qatari and UAE governments with all their FDI and oil money haven’t been able to muster something. They are after all on the doorstep and it’s their economies that are most dramatically affected.
A deeply buried pipeline that cuts through the UAE to Oman, with another to Saudi.
The ultimate loading terminals protected with defensive means to shoot down all that is fired at them from some way out. That needs to be 100% guaranteed. The ultimate in layered defense.
And the destruction of any vessel that leaves Iranian harbours on the Gulf. 100% Reaper-type drone coverage of the coast along its entire length, 24/7.
Yes, it will be expensive. But cheaper than the weaponry the US has fired off in the past 15 days.
The expense isn’t the problem - the problem is what do you do in the years it takes to build said pipelines and the docks at the end that will be required to receive the oil and gas.
And the terminals at each end will make a lovely fixed target.
The learning curve the ME has gone through in the last fortnight is that it can't defend fixed points from a multitude of cheap drones. One Patriot battery is bugger all use. The Ukraine War tactics come to the Gulf.
It will be very different in even two years time. By which time, Ukrainian companies will have made a killing.
You seem to have missed the large number of strikes by ballistic missiles. Especially those aimed at radars.
That's probably what you'd use against the oil terminals. A couple of tons of HE arriving at Mach Lots.
But but...Trump says the US has destroyed 100% of Iranian capability...
Maybe if China keeps the Straits open, it can also offer the HQ-9 and HQ-22 to keep the ballistic missiles out? As a "just in case"...
If NATO countries cave to Trump’s bullying now they’ll be doing themselves major damage. We have known this administration long enough to understand that it sees agreement and compromise as weakness. It’ll encourage Trump to bully more. He needs to be told to take a running jump, ideally with some threats thrown in - to US continued use of basis, and to defence procurement. Maybe a little bit of Epstein too.
To be honest it’s this threat that makes me think - more than oil prices or sanctions - that Puton is behind this.
If he can reframe NATO as an aggressor rather than a purely defensive alliance (that it is) that is hugely valuable from a geopolitical perspective
There’s clearly a need for someone to “do something” about the straits, and it’s a global economic challenge. And apparently the US don't have the capability.
It’s somewhat disappointing that the big spending Saudi, Qatari and UAE governments with all their FDI and oil money haven’t been able to muster something. They are after all on the doorstep and it’s their economies that are most dramatically affected.
A deeply buried pipeline that cuts through the UAE to Oman, with another to Saudi.
The ultimate loading terminals protected with defensive means to shoot down all that is fired at them from some way out. That needs to be 100% guaranteed. The ultimate in layered defense.
And the destruction of any vessel that leaves Iranian harbours on the Gulf. 100% Reaper-type drone coverage of the coast along its entire length, 24/7.
Yes, it will be expensive. But cheaper than the weaponry the US has fired off in the past 15 days.
The expense isn’t the problem - the problem is what do you do in the years it takes to build said pipelines and the docks at the end that will be required to receive the oil and gas.
And the terminals at each end will make a lovely fixed target.
The learning curve the ME has gone through in the last fortnight is that it can't defend fixed points from a multitude of cheap drones. One Patriot battery is bugger all use. The Ukraine War tactics come to the Gulf.
It will be very different in even two years time. By which time, Ukrainian companies will have made a killing.
The chance that British companies had to invest in Ukranian new-tech military has just disappeared.
The GCC States are throwing money at the problem. They have money.
Great news for GCC States, also great news for Ukrainian companies receiveing billions in investment. Not so good for regular expensive Western MIC who are still thinking about the last war and not the next one.
If the UAE stop spending money on the RSF in Sudan and start investing in Ukraine, that will be a good outcome.
Quite a pleasant one here, and we've found the present our younger son sent to his mother for Mothering Sunday. Left yesterday by the delivery driver outside the garage door. The lack of a bell and door knocker didn't seem to lead the chap (or chapess) to suspect it wasn't a front door.
On topic, if Starmer doesn't firmly point out to Trump that the problems in the Straits of Hormuz are all down to him and Bibi, I have little doubt that Macron or Meloni will. So there will be a price to be paid by the USA.
Incidentally, on my Facebook page (yes, I know, sad) there's a post to the effect that significant sections of the US military are 'considering' whether Trump's orders are legal and should be obeyed. I wonder how true that is.
If NATO countries cave to Trump’s bullying now they’ll be doing themselves major damage. We have known this administration long enough to understand that it sees agreement and compromise as weakness. It’ll encourage Trump to bully more. He needs to be told to take a running jump, ideally with some threats thrown in - to US continued use of basis, and to defence procurement. Maybe a little bit of Epstein too.
To be honest it’s this threat that makes me think - more than oil prices or sanctions - that Puton is behind this.
If he can reframe NATO as an aggressor rather than a purely defensive alliance (that it is) that is hugely valuable from a geopolitical perspective
There’s clearly a need for someone to “do something” about the straits, and it’s a global economic challenge. And apparently the US don't have the capability.
It’s somewhat disappointing that the big spending Saudi, Qatari and UAE governments with all their FDI and oil money haven’t been able to muster something. They are after all on the doorstep and it’s their economies that are most dramatically affected.
A deeply buried pipeline that cuts through the UAE to Oman, with another to Saudi.
The ultimate loading terminals protected with defensive means to shoot down all that is fired at them from some way out. That needs to be 100% guaranteed. The ultimate in layered defense.
And the destruction of any vessel that leaves Iranian harbours on the Gulf. 100% Reaper-type drone coverage of the coast along its entire length, 24/7.
Yes, it will be expensive. But cheaper than the weaponry the US has fired off in the past 15 days.
The expense isn’t the problem - the problem is what do you do in the years it takes to build said pipelines and the docks at the end that will be required to receive the oil and gas.
And the terminals at each end will make a lovely fixed target.
The learning curve the ME has gone through in the last fortnight is that it can't defend fixed points from a multitude of cheap drones. One Patriot battery is bugger all use. The Ukraine War tactics come to the Gulf.
It will be very different in even two years time. By which time, Ukrainian companies will have made a killing.
You seem to have missed the large number of strikes by ballistic missiles. Especially those aimed at radars.
That's probably what you'd use against the oil terminals. A couple of tons of HE arriving at Mach Lots.
You certainly have to give top marks to the Iranians for their targeting of the ME radar systems. They did the job of taking them out.
Of ourse, it helped that the Russians were giving them any assistance they needed.
So strange when people say that female politicians are judged on clothes and looks in a way that male politicians aren’t. Corbyn got dogs abuse for his dress sense, including from David Cameron, Rishi Sunak’s height was mocked constantly, Boris Johnson’s weight and hair were picked apart by lefties, Farage’s teeth are ridiculed, and so on
Gordon Brown was criticised for being a stiff in the same way that Keir Starmer is for being wooden and boring; it seems to me that all politicians get stick for their image, and the fact is that it’s no different for women, why should it be?
I have no recollection of Farage's teeth ever being ridiculed.
I do the dental sledging around here and have previously laid into Johnson, Big Rish and Little Miss Angry on the subject but never the Padishah of Clacton.
I have noticed that bro is looking old beyond his years lately. I do hope he is seriously unwell.
Stop being so edgy this time in the morning, it’s too exciting and dangerous
Morning all Has Farage managed to force all polling companies to show Reform on a minimum of 35% yet? Their whining at YouGov cinvinces me they arent looking anywhere near as good as theyd hoped for May
If NATO countries cave to Trump’s bullying now they’ll be doing themselves major damage. We have known this administration long enough to understand that it sees agreement and compromise as weakness. It’ll encourage Trump to bully more. He needs to be told to take a running jump, ideally with some threats thrown in - to US continued use of basis, and to defence procurement. Maybe a little bit of Epstein too.
To be honest it’s this threat that makes me think - more than oil prices or sanctions - that Puton is behind this.
If he can reframe NATO as an aggressor rather than a purely defensive alliance (that it is) that is hugely valuable from a geopolitical perspective
There’s clearly a need for someone to “do something” about the straits, and it’s a global economic challenge. And apparently the US don't have the capability.
It’s somewhat disappointing that the big spending Saudi, Qatari and UAE governments with all their FDI and oil money haven’t been able to muster something. They are after all on the doorstep and it’s their economies that are most dramatically affected.
A deeply buried pipeline that cuts through the UAE to Oman, with another to Saudi.
The ultimate loading terminals protected with defensive means to shoot down all that is fired at them from some way out. That needs to be 100% guaranteed. The ultimate in layered defense.
And the destruction of any vessel that leaves Iranian harbours on the Gulf. 100% Reaper-type drone coverage of the coast along its entire length, 24/7.
Yes, it will be expensive. But cheaper than the weaponry the US has fired off in the past 15 days.
The expense isn’t the problem - the problem is what do you do in the years it takes to build said pipelines and the docks at the end that will be required to receive the oil and gas.
And the terminals at each end will make a lovely fixed target.
The learning curve the ME has gone through in the last fortnight is that it can't defend fixed points from a multitude of cheap drones. One Patriot battery is bugger all use. The Ukraine War tactics come to the Gulf.
It will be very different in even two years time. By which time, Ukrainian companies will have made a killing.
The chance that British companies had to invest in Ukranian new-tech military has just disappeared.
The GCC States are throwing money at the problem. They have money.
Great news for GCC States, also great news for Ukrainian companies receiveing billions in investment. Not so good for regular expensive Western MIC who are still thinking about the last war and not the next one.
That won't much affect the industrial collaboration agreements in place and being developed. The gulf states are (for now) largely customers.
They are now owners. UAE just bought 30% of the Ukrainian company that makes the Flamingo cruise missiles for example. They will get the benefit of wider sales.
Starting with the obvious - all politicians are ridiculed, they always have been. Go back to some of the cartoons in Punch in the 20th century and they were pretty merciless.
Indeed, it's almost a badge of honour to be ridiculed among politicians I would imagine. In the period of social media, the ridicule from those completely hostile is often as cruel, if not worst and of course being social media it's laced with misinformation, misconception or just plain lies.
I don't understand the constant unremitting hostility toward Starmer, Reeves, Badenoch, Davey, Farage or Polanski - really I don't. Among some on here, it's almost a kind of hysteria..
I largely agree with that, but make an exception fur Farage. He is a dangerous charlatan IMO.
We’re largely a bunch of middle aged to old white men on a form of message board that had its heyday 15-20 years ago. And it’s Monday morning. What do you expect?
Good morning
I agree that @Alanbrooke description of Cooper was unkind but then some of the comments on here about Kemi are at times even worse and it is simply unnecessary
I was involved with Cooper and her department over hips with many trips to London to discuss the pros and cons and frankly she just dld not listen
I do not think she or Miliband are labour's answer to the Starmer question but then who is ?
My wife and I are to set off shortly on our 2 day train excursion to Edinburgh so will not be posting much as we want to enjoy the journeys and ever changing scenery
Yes “whatabout” the unkind things that people say about Kemi. Someone should invent a neologism to describe the rhetorical tactic and logical fallacy used to deflect criticism by responding to an accusation with a counter-accusation, shifting focus away from the original issue. Perhaps it’s already been done?
And on another hand, it's entirely fair game to discuss the presentational shortcomings of leaders, or potential leaders, since that's quite a large part of their job. It's not as though Starmer, or before him Sunak, are/were immune from such stuff.
Starmer’s presentational shortcomings are, and are discussed as, his inexplicable inability to present policy to the public. And, I concede, his voice on occasion. Not his dress sense or “nagging”. Actually if Starmer did “nag” it would be a vast improvement.
The worst I remember being directed at Sunak were references to his height.
Although there were a lot of references to his height...
So Sunak was officially 5'6" and a quick search suggests that Starmer is 5'8" and a half. I wonder at the 'and a half'. Seems odd. Is someone worried about his height?
If NATO countries cave to Trump’s bullying now they’ll be doing themselves major damage. We have known this administration long enough to understand that it sees agreement and compromise as weakness. It’ll encourage Trump to bully more. He needs to be told to take a running jump, ideally with some threats thrown in - to US continued use of basis, and to defence procurement. Maybe a little bit of Epstein too.
To be honest it’s this threat that makes me think - more than oil prices or sanctions - that Puton is behind this.
If he can reframe NATO as an aggressor rather than a purely defensive alliance (that it is) that is hugely valuable from a geopolitical perspective
There’s clearly a need for someone to “do something” about the straits, and it’s a global economic challenge. And apparently the US don't have the capability.
It’s somewhat disappointing that the big spending Saudi, Qatari and UAE governments with all their FDI and oil money haven’t been able to muster something. They are after all on the doorstep and it’s their economies that are most dramatically affected.
A deeply buried pipeline that cuts through the UAE to Oman, with another to Saudi.
The ultimate loading terminals protected with defensive means to shoot down all that is fired at them from some way out. That needs to be 100% guaranteed. The ultimate in layered defense.
And the destruction of any vessel that leaves Iranian harbours on the Gulf. 100% Reaper-type drone coverage of the coast along its entire length, 24/7.
Yes, it will be expensive. But cheaper than the weaponry the US has fired off in the past 15 days.
The expense isn’t the problem - the problem is what do you do in the years it takes to build said pipelines and the docks at the end that will be required to receive the oil and gas.
And the terminals at each end will make a lovely fixed target.
The learning curve the ME has gone through in the last fortnight is that it can't defend fixed points from a multitude of cheap drones. One Patriot battery is bugger all use. The Ukraine War tactics come to the Gulf.
It will be very different in even two years time. By which time, Ukrainian companies will have made a killing.
The chance that British companies had to invest in Ukranian new-tech military has just disappeared.
The GCC States are throwing money at the problem. They have money.
Great news for GCC States, also great news for Ukrainian companies receiveing billions in investment. Not so good for regular expensive Western MIC who are still thinking about the last war and not the next one.
The DragonFire laser defence system should still get some traction.
Morning all Has Farage managed to force all polling companies to show Reform on a minimum of 35% yet? Their whining at YouGov cinvinces me they arent looking anywhere near as good as theyd hoped for May
If NATO countries cave to Trump’s bullying now they’ll be doing themselves major damage. We have known this administration long enough to understand that it sees agreement and compromise as weakness. It’ll encourage Trump to bully more. He needs to be told to take a running jump, ideally with some threats thrown in - to US continued use of basis, and to defence procurement. Maybe a little bit of Epstein too.
To be honest it’s this threat that makes me think - more than oil prices or sanctions - that Puton is behind this.
If he can reframe NATO as an aggressor rather than a purely defensive alliance (that it is) that is hugely valuable from a geopolitical perspective
There’s clearly a need for someone to “do something” about the straits, and it’s a global economic challenge. And apparently the US don't have the capability.
It’s somewhat disappointing that the big spending Saudi, Qatari and UAE governments with all their FDI and oil money haven’t been able to muster something. They are after all on the doorstep and it’s their economies that are most dramatically affected.
A deeply buried pipeline that cuts through the UAE to Oman, with another to Saudi.
The ultimate loading terminals protected with defensive means to shoot down all that is fired at them from some way out. That needs to be 100% guaranteed. The ultimate in layered defense.
And the destruction of any vessel that leaves Iranian harbours on the Gulf. 100% Reaper-type drone coverage of the coast along its entire length, 24/7.
Yes, it will be expensive. But cheaper than the weaponry the US has fired off in the past 15 days.
The expense isn’t the problem - the problem is what do you do in the years it takes to build said pipelines and the docks at the end that will be required to receive the oil and gas.
And the terminals at each end will make a lovely fixed target.
The learning curve the ME has gone through in the last fortnight is that it can't defend fixed points from a multitude of cheap drones. One Patriot battery is bugger all use. The Ukraine War tactics come to the Gulf.
It will be very different in even two years time. By which time, Ukrainian companies will have made a killing.
You seem to have missed the large number of strikes by ballistic missiles. Especially those aimed at radars.
That's probably what you'd use against the oil terminals. A couple of tons of HE arriving at Mach Lots.
You certainly have to give top marks to the Iranians for their targeting of the ME radar systems. They did the job of taking them out.
Of ourse, it helped that the Russians were giving them any assistance they needed.
And still, Trump gives them a pass.
I would doubt the Iranians needed much assistance in that. The location of the radars was well known and fixed. Overwhelming defences by attacking en masse in a short period of time has been a tactic since missile warfare was invented - when Ug first threw rocks.
Starting with the obvious - all politicians are ridiculed, they always have been. Go back to some of the cartoons in Punch in the 20th century and they were pretty merciless.
Indeed, it's almost a badge of honour to be ridiculed among politicians I would imagine. In the period of social media, the ridicule from those completely hostile is often as cruel, if not worst and of course being social media it's laced with misinformation, misconception or just plain lies.
I don't understand the constant unremitting hostility toward Starmer, Reeves, Badenoch, Davey, Farage or Polanski - really I don't. Among some on here, it's almost a kind of hysteria. The only theory I've got is for many of us our formative years were the 1970s and that was a polarising era and I can see why some who lived through it developed a visceral antipathy to "Labour Government" in all its forms.
As a wise man once said, that was then and this is now - it's 50 years later yet the experiences of those times still seemingly resonate.
On topic, I don't see Starmer going even if Labour lose 1000 seats in May - Major was challenged after the Conservatives lost 2000 seats in a single night (unsuccessfully). The other side is whether there's any single figure under whom Labour would be doing demonstrably better and given we're likely three years off an election, it's often easier to change leader closer to Polling Day.
The argument for delay is as you say that Labour might improve further under Starmer as it has in the last few weeks. The argument against is that membership is gradually dwindling as the activists increasingly give up. My provisional view is that the improvement is driven by anti-Trump sentiment and Starmer's refusal to make an all-out commitment to Trump's war, and the underlying problem of a lack of direction remains. I think there will be a serious challenge after the local elections, unless they are seen as much better than expected,
If NATO countries cave to Trump’s bullying now they’ll be doing themselves major damage. We have known this administration long enough to understand that it sees agreement and compromise as weakness. It’ll encourage Trump to bully more. He needs to be told to take a running jump, ideally with some threats thrown in - to US continued use of basis, and to defence procurement. Maybe a little bit of Epstein too.
To be honest it’s this threat that makes me think - more than oil prices or sanctions - that Puton is behind this.
If he can reframe NATO as an aggressor rather than a purely defensive alliance (that it is) that is hugely valuable from a geopolitical perspective
There’s clearly a need for someone to “do something” about the straits, and it’s a global economic challenge. And apparently the US don't have the capability.
It’s somewhat disappointing that the big spending Saudi, Qatari and UAE governments with all their FDI and oil money haven’t been able to muster something. They are after all on the doorstep and it’s their economies that are most dramatically affected.
A deeply buried pipeline that cuts through the UAE to Oman, with another to Saudi.
The ultimate loading terminals protected with defensive means to shoot down all that is fired at them from some way out. That needs to be 100% guaranteed. The ultimate in layered defense.
And the destruction of any vessel that leaves Iranian harbours on the Gulf. 100% Reaper-type drone coverage of the coast along its entire length, 24/7.
Yes, it will be expensive. But cheaper than the weaponry the US has fired off in the past 15 days.
The expense isn’t the problem - the problem is what do you do in the years it takes to build said pipelines and the docks at the end that will be required to receive the oil and gas.
And the terminals at each end will make a lovely fixed target.
The learning curve the ME has gone through in the last fortnight is that it can't defend fixed points from a multitude of cheap drones. One Patriot battery is bugger all use. The Ukraine War tactics come to the Gulf.
It will be very different in even two years time. By which time, Ukrainian companies will have made a killing.
The chance that British companies had to invest in Ukranian new-tech military has just disappeared.
The GCC States are throwing money at the problem. They have money.
Great news for GCC States, also great news for Ukrainian companies receiveing billions in investment. Not so good for regular expensive Western MIC who are still thinking about the last war and not the next one.
The DragonFire laser defence system should still get some traction.
If we don't sell it to China first...
China has their own version, as do the US, Japan, France and likely a few others, in development if not already deployed.
Morning all Has Farage managed to force all polling companies to show Reform on a minimum of 35% yet? Their whining at YouGov cinvinces me they arent looking anywhere near as good as theyd hoped for May
"Sorry Mr Farage, we thought you said 25%..."
Get the grubby fuckers under 10% where they belong
If NATO countries cave to Trump’s bullying now they’ll be doing themselves major damage. We have known this administration long enough to understand that it sees agreement and compromise as weakness. It’ll encourage Trump to bully more. He needs to be told to take a running jump, ideally with some threats thrown in - to US continued use of basis, and to defence procurement. Maybe a little bit of Epstein too.
To be honest it’s this threat that makes me think - more than oil prices or sanctions - that Puton is behind this.
If he can reframe NATO as an aggressor rather than a purely defensive alliance (that it is) that is hugely valuable from a geopolitical perspective
There’s clearly a need for someone to “do something” about the straits, and it’s a global economic challenge. And apparently the US don't have the capability.
It’s somewhat disappointing that the big spending Saudi, Qatari and UAE governments with all their FDI and oil money haven’t been able to muster something. They are after all on the doorstep and it’s their economies that are most dramatically affected.
A deeply buried pipeline that cuts through the UAE to Oman, with another to Saudi.
The ultimate loading terminals protected with defensive means to shoot down all that is fired at them from some way out. That needs to be 100% guaranteed. The ultimate in layered defense.
And the destruction of any vessel that leaves Iranian harbours on the Gulf. 100% Reaper-type drone coverage of the coast along its entire length, 24/7.
Yes, it will be expensive. But cheaper than the weaponry the US has fired off in the past 15 days.
The expense isn’t the problem - the problem is what do you do in the years it takes to build said pipelines and the docks at the end that will be required to receive the oil and gas.
And the terminals at each end will make a lovely fixed target.
The learning curve the ME has gone through in the last fortnight is that it can't defend fixed points from a multitude of cheap drones. One Patriot battery is bugger all use. The Ukraine War tactics come to the Gulf.
It will be very different in even two years time. By which time, Ukrainian companies will have made a killing.
The chance that British companies had to invest in Ukranian new-tech military has just disappeared.
The GCC States are throwing money at the problem. They have money.
Great news for GCC States, also great news for Ukrainian companies receiveing billions in investment. Not so good for regular expensive Western MIC who are still thinking about the last war and not the next one.
That won't much affect the industrial collaboration agreements in place and being developed. The gulf states are (for now) largely customers.
They are now owners. UAE just bought 30% of the Ukrainian company that makes the Flamingo cruise missiles for example. They will get the benefit of wider sales.
Yes it was a massive miss from UK industry.
Ukrainian startup defence companies have been looking for investment for the last couple of years, saying that their ability to expand was constrained by hard cash.
Then the Iranians started lobbing missiles at counties with fcuktons of hard cash, and what happened next was entirely predictable. Neutral countries all of a sudden aren’t so neutral any more.
James Tate @JamesTate121 10h Right winger Ann Coulter NAILS Trump with a question that makes him SQUIRM: Suppose Iran dispatched operatives to Mexico, where, from the Texas border, they fired a missile at an American base and, unintentionally but carelessly, demolished a nearby American school, killing 175 people. Then, what if they then blew up fuel depots, showering a chemical rain on residents? Then struck homes, schools and clinics, as Iran's leader warned that death, fire and fury would so pulverize America that it could never be rebuilt? In that case, President Trump and all of us would howl at outrageous attacks on innocent civilians. And we'd be right. – Ann Coulter Damn right. Every MAGA member who hasn't burned their hat yet should see this. Via U.S. Democratic Socialists
Starting with the obvious - all politicians are ridiculed, they always have been. Go back to some of the cartoons in Punch in the 20th century and they were pretty merciless.
Indeed, it's almost a badge of honour to be ridiculed among politicians I would imagine. In the period of social media, the ridicule from those completely hostile is often as cruel, if not worst and of course being social media it's laced with misinformation, misconception or just plain lies.
I don't understand the constant unremitting hostility toward Starmer, Reeves, Badenoch, Davey, Farage or Polanski - really I don't. Among some on here, it's almost a kind of hysteria. The only theory I've got is for many of us our formative years were the 1970s and that was a polarising era and I can see why some who lived through it developed a visceral antipathy to "Labour Government" in all its forms.
As a wise man once said, that was then and this is now - it's 50 years later yet the experiences of those times still seemingly resonate.
On topic, I don't see Starmer going even if Labour lose 1000 seats in May - Major was challenged after the Conservatives lost 2000 seats in a single night (unsuccessfully). The other side is whether there's any single figure under whom Labour would be doing demonstrably better and given we're likely three years off an election, it's often easier to change leader closer to Polling Day.
The argument for delay is as you say that Labour might improve further under Starmer as it has in the last few weeks. The argument against is that membership is gradually dwindling as the activists increasingly give up. My provisional view is that the improvement is driven by anti-Trump sentiment and Starmer's refusal to make an all-out commitment to Trump's war, and the underlying problem of a lack of direction remains. I think there will be a serious challenge after the local elections, unless they are seen as much better than expected,
The 'improvement' is 'Kemi Bounce' like It has not translated into an improved VI
You clearly have a massive problem with women. Let’s break this down. From your post I see nothing about what Cooper stands for you object to. I see instead three key words.
First, “Dowdy". This word polices a Cooper’s appearance, implying she is unfashionably dressed or unattractive. Women are subject to this kind of aesthetic judgment in a way men very rarely are. Calling a man "dowdy" barely registers as an insult, while for women, appearance is treated as a moral and social obligation.
Secondly, "Dreary": This frames a woman's personality or presence as a burden to others. It suggests she fails to be entertaining, lively, or pleasing, again, a standard women are held to far more than men
Finally “Nag". This is perhaps the most overtly mysoginistic term of the three. "Nag" (meaning someone who complains or criticises persistently) is almost exclusively applied to women, and specifically to women who assert themselves. When a man does the same thing, he is more likely to be described as "persistent," "principled," or "demanding.". At worst he’ll get “annoying” or maybe “monotonous”, possibly. The word "nag" trivialises and dismisses the substance of what a woman is saying by reframing it as an annoying personality trait rather than a legitimate comceej or political position.
Taken together, you have hatefully reduced a woman simultaneously to her appearance and her disposition, finding fault with both, used language that would not be applied to a man in the same way, and branded Cooper as a failure (aesthetically, socially, and interpersonally) by standards that are themselves gendered. Because she is a woman you dismiss rather than engage with anything she might actually be saying or doing.
Someone on here yesterday suggested it was the left who had the women problem. I present the counterargument in your post.
If NATO countries cave to Trump’s bullying now they’ll be doing themselves major damage. We have known this administration long enough to understand that it sees agreement and compromise as weakness. It’ll encourage Trump to bully more. He needs to be told to take a running jump, ideally with some threats thrown in - to US continued use of basis, and to defence procurement. Maybe a little bit of Epstein too.
I don't see them doing it TBH.
I'd favour a joint declaration of formal neutrality in Trump's and Netanyahu's war on Iran by as many NATO. EU, and Pacific Allied countries as can be organised.
Trump has achieved teh handing over of control of Hormuz to Iran and China.
Rather than Trump's blathering, the solution is the same as for Ukraine - the party making the war needs to pick up their marbles and go home.
So strange when people say that female politicians are judged on clothes and looks in a way that male politicians aren’t. Corbyn got dogs abuse for his dress sense, including from David Cameron, Rishi Sunak’s height was mocked constantly, Boris Johnson’s weight and hair were picked apart by lefties, Farage’s teeth are ridiculed, and so on
Gordon Brown was criticised for being a stiff in the same way that Keir Starmer is for being wooden and boring; it seems to me that all politicians get stick for their image, and the fact is that it’s no different for women, why should it be?
I have no recollection of Farage's teeth ever being ridiculed.
I do the dental sledging around here and have previously laid into Johnson, Big Rish and Little Miss Angry on the subject but never the Padishah of Clacton.
I have noticed that bro is looking old beyond his years lately. I do hope he is seriously unwell.
I think it's his halitosis that's usually brought up.
Any chance that the countries trying to export the oil and LNG will police the shipping lanes?
HIghly doubtful, that's proper Navy stuff. I doubt the UAE Navy can find the Dubai Creek using Waze.
I think SKS will find it hard to resist DJT's order. Chance of getting back in the good books and reflected glory if, by some miracle, it goes well vs. HMS Dragon on the bottom of the Iranian Gulf. At least there wouldn't be endless C-17 rotations of coffins coming into BZZ. The sea keeps those whom she takes.
Quite a pleasant one here, and we've found the present our younger son sent to his mother for Mothering Sunday. Left yesterday by the delivery driver outside the garage door. The lack of a bell and door knocker didn't seem to lead the chap (or chapess) to suspect it wasn't a front door.
On topic, if Starmer doesn't firmly point out to Trump that the problems in the Straits of Hormuz are all down to him and Bibi, I have little doubt that Macron or Meloni will. So there will be a price to be paid by the USA.
Incidentally, on my Facebook page (yes, I know, sad) there's a post to the effect that significant sections of the US military are 'considering' whether Trump's orders are legal and should be obeyed. I wonder how true that is.
At least it was left at the right address. Delivery people often leave parcels in my back yard instead of taking them up to the actual addresses which are higher flats in the block (they have front doors at the rear of the building).
If NATO countries cave to Trump’s bullying now they’ll be doing themselves major damage. We have known this administration long enough to understand that it sees agreement and compromise as weakness. It’ll encourage Trump to bully more. He needs to be told to take a running jump, ideally with some threats thrown in - to US continued use of basis, and to defence procurement. Maybe a little bit of Epstein too.
To be honest it’s this threat that makes me think - more than oil prices or sanctions - that Puton is behind this.
If he can reframe NATO as an aggressor rather than a purely defensive alliance (that it is) that is hugely valuable from a geopolitical perspective
There’s clearly a need for someone to “do something” about the straits, and it’s a global economic challenge. And apparently the US don't have the capability.
It’s somewhat disappointing that the big spending Saudi, Qatari and UAE governments with all their FDI and oil money haven’t been able to muster something. They are after all on the doorstep and it’s their economies that are most dramatically affected.
A deeply buried pipeline that cuts through the UAE to Oman, with another to Saudi.
The ultimate loading terminals protected with defensive means to shoot down all that is fired at them from some way out. That needs to be 100% guaranteed. The ultimate in layered defense.
And the destruction of any vessel that leaves Iranian harbours on the Gulf. 100% Reaper-type drone coverage of the coast along its entire length, 24/7.
Yes, it will be expensive. But cheaper than the weaponry the US has fired off in the past 15 days.
The expense isn’t the problem - the problem is what do you do in the years it takes to build said pipelines and the docks at the end that will be required to receive the oil and gas.
And the terminals at each end will make a lovely fixed target.
The learning curve the ME has gone through in the last fortnight is that it can't defend fixed points from a multitude of cheap drones. One Patriot battery is bugger all use. The Ukraine War tactics come to the Gulf.
It will be very different in even two years time. By which time, Ukrainian companies will have made a killing.
The chance that British companies had to invest in Ukranian new-tech military has just disappeared.
The GCC States are throwing money at the problem. They have money.
Great news for GCC States, also great news for Ukrainian companies receiveing billions in investment. Not so good for regular expensive Western MIC who are still thinking about the last war and not the next one.
That won't much affect the industrial collaboration agreements in place and being developed. The gulf states are (for now) largely customers.
They are now owners. UAE just bought 30% of the Ukrainian company that makes the Flamingo cruise missiles for example. They will get the benefit of wider sales.
Yes it was a massive miss from UK industry.
Ukrainian startup defence companies have been looking for investment for the last couple of years, saying that their ability to expand was constrained by hard cash.
Then the Iranians started lobbing missiles at counties with fcuktons of hard cash, and what happened next was entirely predictable. Neutral countries all of a sudden aren’t so neutral any more.
So strange when people say that female politicians are judged on clothes and looks in a way that male politicians aren’t. Corbyn got dogs abuse for his dress sense, including from David Cameron, Rishi Sunak’s height was mocked constantly, Boris Johnson’s weight and hair were picked apart by lefties, Farage’s teeth are ridiculed, and so on
Gordon Brown was criticised for being a stiff in the same way that Keir Starmer is for being wooden and boring; it seems to me that all politicians get stick for their image, and the fact is that it’s no different for women, why should it be?
I have no recollection of Farage's teeth ever being ridiculed.
I do the dental sledging around here and have previously laid into Johnson, Big Rish and Little Miss Angry on the subject but never the Padishah of Clacton.
I have noticed that bro is looking old beyond his years lately. I do hope he is seriously unwell.
I think it's his halitosis that's usually brought up.
We’re largely a bunch of middle aged to old white men on a form of message board that had its heyday 15-20 years ago. And it’s Monday morning. What do you expect?
Good morning
I agree that @Alanbrooke description of Cooper was unkind but then some of the comments on here about Kemi are at times even worse and it is simply unnecessary
I was involved with Cooper and her department over hips with many trips to London to discuss the pros and cons and frankly she just dld not listen
I do not think she or Miliband are labour's answer to the Starmer question but then who is ?
My wife and I are to set off shortly on our 2 day train excursion to Edinburgh so will not be posting much as we want to enjoy the journeys and ever changing scenery
3 and a half weeks remain for the parties to find candidates to fill the 5000 plus seats up for grabs..... So much bigger than last year. I wonder if lack of candidates might throw predictions out a bit? Reform are advertising for candidates on page 6 of the Metro today.
We’re largely a bunch of middle aged to old white men on a form of message board that had its heyday 15-20 years ago. And it’s Monday morning. What do you expect?
Good morning
I agree that @Alanbrooke description of Cooper was unkind but then some of the comments on here about Kemi are at times even worse and it is simply unnecessary
I was involved with Cooper and her department over hips with many trips to London to discuss the pros and cons and frankly she just dld not listen
I do not think she or Miliband are labour's answer to the Starmer question but then who is ?
My wife and I are to set off shortly on our 2 day train excursion to Edinburgh so will not be posting much as we want to enjoy the journeys and ever changing scenery
Yes “whatabout” the unkind things that people say about Kemi. Someone should invent a neologism to describe the rhetorical tactic and logical fallacy used to deflect criticism by responding to an accusation with a counter-accusation, shifting focus away from the original issue. Perhaps it’s already been done?
And on another hand, it's entirely fair game to discuss the presentational shortcomings of leaders, or potential leaders, since that's quite a large part of their job. It's not as though Starmer, or before him Sunak, are/were immune from such stuff.
Starmer’s presentational shortcomings are, and are discussed as, his inexplicable inability to present policy to the public. And, I concede, his voice on occasion. Not his dress sense or “nagging”. Actually if Starmer did “nag” it would be a vast improvement.
The worst I remember being directed at Sunak were references to his height.
Although there were a lot of references to his height...
So Sunak was officially 5'6" and a quick search suggests that Starmer is 5'8" and a half. I wonder at the 'and a half'. Seems odd. Is someone worried about his height?
5'8.5" is almost exactly 174cm (173.99cm)
Starmer is clearly a metric traitor, and has converted his height from the metric measurement of 174cm.
To anyone who wants a local view of what’s happeneing in the Gulf right now, here’s a 10 minute interview with Reem Al Hashimy, UAE Minister of State for International Co-Operation.
3 and a half weeks remain for the parties to find candidates to fill the 5000 plus seats up for grabs..... So much bigger than last year. I wonder if lack of candidates might throw predictions out a bit? Reform are advertising for candidates on page 6 of the Metro today.
I take it the advert doesn’t focus on the amount of work that will be required for very little money when the candidate finds themselves elected
3 and a half weeks remain for the parties to find candidates to fill the 5000 plus seats up for grabs..... So much bigger than last year. I wonder if lack of candidates might throw predictions out a bit? Reform are advertising for candidates on page 6 of the Metro today.
I take it the advert doesn’t focus on the amount of work that will be required for very little money when the candidate finds themselves elected
3 and a half weeks remain for the parties to find candidates to fill the 5000 plus seats up for grabs..... So much bigger than last year. I wonder if lack of candidates might throw predictions out a bit? Reform are advertising for candidates on page 6 of the Metro today.
Don't they try the nearest Vith Form College? Our new Reform councillor is, apparently, 18. So far as I know he hasn't been seen in the ward since his election, and there was a significant Council exhibition of proposed new developments last week.
3 and a half weeks remain for the parties to find candidates to fill the 5000 plus seats up for grabs..... So much bigger than last year. I wonder if lack of candidates might throw predictions out a bit? Reform are advertising for candidates on page 6 of the Metro today.
Don't they try the nearest Vith Form College? Our new Reform councillor is, apparently, 18. So far as I know he hasn't been seen in the ward since his election, and there was a significant Council exhibition of proposed new developments last week.
Farage is currently running round London with a buttefly net scooping up anyone who looks cross
· Croissants, houmous and alcohol-free beer – reflecting changing tastes · Dashboard cameras – car owners increasing their security on the roads · Pet grooming – reflecting a growing service for pet owners
· Croissants, houmous and alcohol-free beer – reflecting changing tastes · Dashboard cameras – car owners increasing their security on the roads · Pet grooming – reflecting a growing service for pet owners
Pet grooming? Is that hanging about the park with treats nursing a stiffy?
Monday morning and I'm already deeply pissed off with government policy.
As should start by saying I grew up in a house that used heating oil, and it's still an important fuel for my family and friends in the north of Scotland (along with wood, coal). The cost more than doubled during the Ukraine invasion and hadn't fallen to pre-war levels.
However, it's importance in Scotland has vastly diminished because of the transition to renewables. A cycle around the islands (particularly Orkney) and you'll the note the widespread proliferation of solar and heat pumps (along with an oil tank). Meanwhile in England and Wales the transition has been much slower.
This subsidy once again perverts all the incentives. We can't keep softening the impact of fossil fuels. If the government were serious, they'd make a flat payment to all off-gas-grid households in rural postcodes - including for those who have done the right thing and moved away from heating oil.
Monday morning and I'm already deeply pissed off with government policy.
As should start by saying I grew up in a house that used heating oil, and it's still an important fuel for my family and friends in the north of Scotland (along with wood, coal). The cost more than doubled during the Ukraine invasion and hadn't fallen to pre-war levels.
However, it's importance in Scotland has vastly diminished because of the transition to renewables. A cycle around the islands (particularly Orkney) and you'll the note the widespread proliferation of solar and heat pumps (along with an oil tank). Meanwhile in England and Wales the transition has been much slower.
This subsidy once again perverts all the incentives. We can't keep softening the impact of fossil fuels. If the government were serious, they'd make a flat payment to all off-gas-grid households in rural postcodes - including for those who have done the right thing and moved away from heating oil.
Damned if they do, Damned if they don't
Quick response to a specific issue.
Hopefully they will follow up when needed on your very valid point
3 and a half weeks remain for the parties to find candidates to fill the 5000 plus seats up for grabs..... So much bigger than last year. I wonder if lack of candidates might throw predictions out a bit? Reform are advertising for candidates on page 6 of the Metro today.
Don't they try the nearest Vith Form College? Our new Reform councillor is, apparently, 18. So far as I know he hasn't been seen in the ward since his election, and there was a significant Council exhibition of proposed new developments last week.
Farage is currently running round London with a buttefly net scooping up anyone who looks cross
· Croissants, houmous and alcohol-free beer – reflecting changing tastes · Dashboard cameras – car owners increasing their security on the roads · Pet grooming – reflecting a growing service for pet owners
Monday morning and I'm already deeply pissed off with government policy.
As should start by saying I grew up in a house that used heating oil, and it's still an important fuel for my family and friends in the north of Scotland (along with wood, coal). The cost more than doubled during the Ukraine invasion and hadn't fallen to pre-war levels.
However, it's importance in Scotland has vastly diminished because of the transition to renewables. A cycle around the islands (particularly Orkney) and you'll the note the widespread proliferation of solar and heat pumps (along with an oil tank). Meanwhile in England and Wales the transition has been much slower.
This subsidy once again perverts all the incentives. We can't keep softening the impact of fossil fuels. If the government were serious, they'd make a flat payment to all off-gas-grid households in rural postcodes - including for those who have done the right thing and moved away from heating oil.
Damned if they do, Damned if they don't
Quick response to a specific issue.
Hopefully they will follow up when needed on your very valid point
I haven't been listening to the Prime Minister.
On the Heating Aid (as opposed to Hearing Aid), I'd support minimal and means tested now, perhaps with a restriction to EPCs of D or above, with the main effort being to offer an earlier place in the queue for insulation and green schemes to change their future and get rid of oil boilers.
Monday morning and I'm already deeply pissed off with government policy.
As should start by saying I grew up in a house that used heating oil, and it's still an important fuel for my family and friends in the north of Scotland (along with wood, coal). The cost more than doubled during the Ukraine invasion and hadn't fallen to pre-war levels.
However, it's importance in Scotland has vastly diminished because of the transition to renewables. A cycle around the islands (particularly Orkney) and you'll the note the widespread proliferation of solar and heat pumps (along with an oil tank). Meanwhile in England and Wales the transition has been much slower.
This subsidy once again perverts all the incentives. We can't keep softening the impact of fossil fuels. If the government were serious, they'd make a flat payment to all off-gas-grid households in rural postcodes - including for those who have done the right thing and moved away from heating oil.
I have skin in the game. I am in Wiltshire but also have oil fired central heating. I am ambivalent about this one. On the one hand should you need to fill your tank today, you are going to suffer a bit. But oil users will usually have a decently sized tank (mine is 1000 litres) and can usually pick a decent time to fill up. (Often mid-summer is good, don't go for mid-autumn into winter). And its tricky because you get a discount for larger volumes/penalty for small ones.
But once you've bought it its done.
We did look at migrating from oil, or at least to a hybrid air-source/oil system (oil is the back-up to the air source if a boost is needed) and we didn't go for it. It was ferociously expensive upfront.
I will be looking at installing solar soon (waiting on an inheritance house sale) and when the boiler dies (its basically brand new, so 10-15 years if well maintained) we will move away from oil. But it makes no sense for me to change it now, and we use about 1500 litres of oil a year, so either 600 quid or maybe 1000 if the costs soar until we need to refill in the autumn.
Interesting article by Matthew Syed in the Sunday Times about how it's immoral for the government to keep bailing people out when it comes to things like fuel becoming more expensive.
Interesting article by Matthew Syed in the Sunday Times about how it's immoral for the government to keep bailing people out when it comes to things like fuel becoming more expensive.
Certainly if the May local elections do prove such a disaster for Labour they are third or worse behind not only Reform but the Tories too and maybe even the Greens as well then Starmer will likely resign or face a leadership challenge. Though Labour does seem to have had a small bounce since Starmer kept the UK out of the offensive US and Israeli strikes.
There is no guarantee a Cooper and Ed Miliband 'dream ticket' would win such a leadership election anyway. For example, Angela Rayner to their left outpolls both of them with Labour members and Streeting would also run as well to their right as the more Blairite candidate and Streeting also beats Cooper with Labour members even if Ed Miliband beats him after preferences https://labourlist.org/2026/02/keir-starmer-wes-streeting-leadership-survation-poll/
Still think Starmer is now safe as long as he wants the job
If you believe, as I do, that there is no-one who is that much better, and you also believe, as I do, that Reform have peaked (the latest data suggests this quite strongly) then I think Starmer is the right man for the job at the current time. Sure they will get pasted in the locals. Who cares? Every government gets pasted in the locals. There is time a plenty for the interminable war in Ukraine to end, for the economy to pick up enough and some Black Sheep moments to come along and Labour with Starmer can win again, or if he loses the way is open for someone else.
We have had too many PM/leader changes in recent times. It has become a sad joke. Sometimes you just have to get your head down and 'keep buggering on' as the great man said.
In the BBC Papers snippets, there a note from the FT which suggests that India seems to have done some sort of deal with Iran to get it's supplies through the Straits.
Badenoch may be suffering from her mindless agreement to be dragged by Trump into an ill-conceived war, without clear aims (or consultation/agreement with us).
Interesting article by Matthew Syed in the Sunday Times about how it's immoral for the government to keep bailing people out when it comes to things like fuel becoming more expensive.
Are there no work houses?
I kind of agree to an extent. Either we say that affordable heating, electricity or whatever is a human right, or we accept that market forces can make things really tough. Some on here like higher prices for petrol or heating oil as in theory it should drive people to make greener choices. Arguably its not that simple for everyone.
She's the only potential leader that worries me as a lifelong Conservative
Streeting and Burnham worry me as a Tory, Cooper doesn't though she would be more of a worry than Rayner or Ed Miliband who would be a gift to the right
In the BBC Papers snippets, there a note from the FT which suggests that India seems to have done some sort of deal with Iran to get it's supplies through the Straits.
Yes. Two tankers were allowed through on Saturday.
We’re largely a bunch of middle aged to old white men on a form of message board that had its heyday 15-20 years ago. And it’s Monday morning. What do you expect?
Good morning
I agree that @Alanbrooke description of Cooper was unkind but then some of the comments on here about Kemi are at times even worse and it is simply unnecessary
I was involved with Cooper and her department over hips with many trips to London to discuss the pros and cons and frankly she just dld not listen
I do not think she or Miliband are labour's answer to the Starmer question but then who is ?
My wife and I are to set off shortly on our 2 day train excursion to Edinburgh so will not be posting much as we want to enjoy the journeys and ever changing scenery
Yes “whatabout” the unkind things that people say about Kemi. Someone should invent a neologism to describe the rhetorical tactic and logical fallacy used to deflect criticism by responding to an accusation with a counter-accusation, shifting focus away from the original issue. Perhaps it’s already been done?
To be honest there are some on here whose use of whataboutery is legend
I’ve not seen such. Just repetitive “what about x” with desperation when various subjects come up.
Quality WhatAboutery used to be a major product of the Northern Ireland service sector. It’s really fallen off though. Another British industry shuttered.
Sad lack of Irish Republicans on this site to pick you up on the "British" descriptor there. Shame. This morning was too good natured - we needed a row.
To be sure, to be sure, to be sure.
Also you can be British and Republican. The monarchy is as anachronistic as the Church.
No, if if you dislike the monarchy and Church of England being established church you should move to the Irish Republic where you can have a President and Popery as your main religion to your hearts content!
Comments
But can you imagine how Trump would take that slight on his tiny manhood?
But it would be rather harder to ignore a request from local Governments
Gordon Brown was criticised for being a stiff in the same way that Keir Starmer is for being wooden and boring; it seems to me that all politicians get stick for their image, and the fact is that it’s no different for women, why should it be?
Which gives them 2 more reasons to not help - as I suspect they don’t care about the summit
But it's not a very efficient way of doing that, and you're right about the contradictions inherent in them.
Everything Trump's operation lacks.
O&G production due to fall by a third over the next five years. (Can't be the fault of the current government, and probably not the previous one either).
Almost all UK North Sea oil is exported due to lack of refinery capacity. Imports of (mostly refined) oil currently twice exports.
There are significant unlicensed reserves and contingent supplies, which are not currently being developed. Not clear to me how much of this is viable but it may be an extra 5% to 10% of total production to date.
The current government had a manifesto commitment not to develop new fields. Looks like they may be U Turning on this.
New development is largely irrelevant to UK's energy security due to the lack of refinery capacity and because of the relatively small amount of extra production. Renewables give us energy security.
https://post.parliament.uk/north-sea-oil-and-gas
I recall a shitty film, years ago, which included a booby trap expert. His thing was setting a booby trap that causes people to blunder into the next body trap which causes them.....
Bemusement as Lincolnshire mayor Andrea Jenkyns gives thoughts on Iran war
'A surprise move for a local authority'
https://www.thelondoneconomic.com/politics/bemusement-as-lincolnshire-mayor-andrea-jenkyns-gives-thoughts-on-iran-war-403966/
The top of the military and the intelligence communities must be seething.
Of course they will do as ordered by the C-in-C. But they can still think it fuckwittery of the highest order.
Of course surveyors didn't have any interest in a system that would reduce the number of surveys done.
Obviously, Cooper being unable to overcome opposition from a small special interest group like surveyors to push through a sensible reform to reduce the cost and complexity of the house-buying process, speaks poorly to her ability as a politician to get anything useful done.
As with Starmer himself the question arises, why aren't there better politicians so that Cooper can be safely returned to the backbenches?
So that rules out Cooper.
The sensible solution would be to look at other countries and how they manage buying and selling of properties - there are a vast range of systems out there.
I am slightly surprised @Alanbrooke hasn't taken more of a shine to her.
As the great philosopher remarked - "Assumption makes an 'ass' out of you and 'umption'."
It will be very different in even two years time. By which time, Ukrainian companies will have made a killing.
That's probably what you'd use against the oil terminals. A couple of tons of HE arriving at Mach Lots.
The road leads to Tehran and doing a deal. Everyone is in denial.
Britas gets pronounced as Bright Ass. Which doesn't seem very applicable...
I have noticed that bro is looking old beyond his years lately. I do hope he is seriously unwell.
The GCC States are throwing money at the problem. They have money.
Great news for GCC States, also great news for Ukrainian companies receiveing billions in investment. Not so good for regular expensive Western MIC who are still thinking about the last war and not the next one.
The HIPS proposal was for a bunch of relatively unqualified people to provide the HIPS and expect the buyer and their bank to accept them. Which of course they didn’t.
See HIPs, how most of Europe use their local councils to build the infrastructure for housing first (so taking a bigger share of the profits) and numerous other examples
The gulf states are (for now) largely customers.
Starting with the obvious - all politicians are ridiculed, they always have been. Go back to some of the cartoons in Punch in the 20th century and they were pretty merciless.
Indeed, it's almost a badge of honour to be ridiculed among politicians I would imagine. In the period of social media, the ridicule from those completely hostile is often as cruel, if not worst and of course being social media it's laced with misinformation, misconception or just plain lies.
I don't understand the constant unremitting hostility toward Starmer, Reeves, Badenoch, Davey, Farage or Polanski - really I don't. Among some on here, it's almost a kind of hysteria. The only theory I've got is for many of us our formative years were the 1970s and that was a polarising era and I can see why some who lived through it developed a visceral antipathy to "Labour Government" in all its forms.
As a wise man once said, that was then and this is now - it's 50 years later yet the experiences of those times still seemingly resonate.
On topic, I don't see Starmer going even if Labour lose 1000 seats in May - Major was challenged after the Conservatives lost 2000 seats in a single night (unsuccessfully). The other side is whether there's any single figure under whom Labour would be doing demonstrably better and given we're likely three years off an election, it's often easier to change leader closer to Polling Day.
Also you can be British and Republican. The monarchy is as anachronistic as the Church.
Maybe if China keeps the Straits open, it can also offer the HQ-9 and HQ-22 to keep the ballistic missiles out? As a "just in case"...
Quite a pleasant one here, and we've found the present our younger son sent to his mother for Mothering Sunday. Left yesterday by the delivery driver outside the garage door. The lack of a bell and door knocker didn't seem to lead the chap (or chapess) to suspect it wasn't a front door.
On topic, if Starmer doesn't firmly point out to Trump that the problems in the Straits of Hormuz are all down to him and Bibi, I have little doubt that Macron or Meloni will.
So there will be a price to be paid by the USA.
Incidentally, on my Facebook page (yes, I know, sad) there's a post to the effect that significant sections of the US military are 'considering' whether Trump's orders are legal and should be obeyed.
I wonder how true that is.
Of ourse, it helped that the Russians were giving them any assistance they needed.
And still, Trump gives them a pass.
Has Farage managed to force all polling companies to show Reform on a minimum of 35% yet?
Their whining at YouGov cinvinces me they arent looking anywhere near as good as theyd hoped for May
Struggling to fill the seats *snigger*
He is a dangerous charlatan IMO.
If we don't sell it to China first...
Ukrainian startup defence companies have been looking for investment for the last couple of years, saying that their ability to expand was constrained by hard cash.
Then the Iranians started lobbing missiles at counties with fcuktons of hard cash, and what happened next was entirely predictable. Neutral countries all of a sudden aren’t so neutral any more.
James Tate
@JamesTate121
10h
Right winger Ann Coulter NAILS Trump with a question that makes him SQUIRM: Suppose Iran dispatched operatives to Mexico, where, from the Texas border, they fired a missile at an American base and, unintentionally but carelessly, demolished a nearby American school, killing 175 people.
Then, what if they then blew up fuel depots, showering a chemical rain on residents? Then struck homes, schools and clinics, as Iran's leader warned that death, fire and fury would so pulverize America that it could never be rebuilt?
In that case, President Trump and all of us would howl at outrageous attacks on innocent civilians. And we'd be right.
– Ann Coulter
Damn right.
Every MAGA member who hasn't burned their hat yet should see this. Via U.S. Democratic Socialists
https://x.com/JamesTate121/status/2033331130204885277?s=20
It has not translated into an improved VI
I'd favour a joint declaration of formal neutrality in Trump's and Netanyahu's war on Iran by as many NATO. EU, and Pacific Allied countries as can be organised.
Trump has achieved teh handing over of control of Hormuz to Iran and China.
Rather than Trump's blathering, the solution is the same as for Ukraine - the party making the war needs to pick up their marbles and go home.
She won't win a leadership contest.
Ipsos in the UK
@Ipsos_in_the_UK
·
8m
Stamer leads Farage and Badenoch on who Brits think would be the most capable Prime Minister.
He’s up +4 since Jan 2026, whilst Farage is down -2, and Badenoch’s down -1.
https://x.com/Ipsos_in_the_UK/status/2033483646586278185?s=20
So much bigger than last year. I wonder if lack of candidates might throw predictions out a bit?
Reform are advertising for candidates on page 6 of the Metro today.
Starmer is clearly a metric traitor, and has converted his height from the metric measurement of 174cm.
https://x.com/ahmedsharif/status/2033242586530648300
She’s rather good when compared to most of the UK ministers on TV at the moment.
https://x.com/ONS/status/2033476091361230969
Items added to the 2026 basket include:
· Croissants, houmous and alcohol-free beer – reflecting changing tastes
· Dashboard cameras – car owners increasing their security on the roads
· Pet grooming – reflecting a growing service for pet owners
As should start by saying I grew up in a house that used heating oil, and it's still an important fuel for my family and friends in the north of Scotland (along with wood, coal). The cost more than doubled during the Ukraine invasion and hadn't fallen to pre-war levels.
However, it's importance in Scotland has vastly diminished because of the transition to renewables. A cycle around the islands (particularly Orkney) and you'll the note the widespread proliferation of solar and heat pumps (along with an oil tank). Meanwhile in England and Wales the transition has been much slower.
This subsidy once again perverts all the incentives. We can't keep softening the impact of fossil fuels. If the government were serious, they'd make a flat payment to all off-gas-grid households in rural postcodes - including for those who have done the right thing and moved away from heating oil.
Quick response to a specific issue.
Hopefully they will follow up when needed on your very valid point
On the Heating Aid (as opposed to Hearing Aid), I'd support minimal and means tested now, perhaps with a restriction to EPCs of D or above, with the main effort being to offer an earlier place in the queue for insulation and green schemes to change their future and get rid of oil boilers.
AIUI Scotland will be paying for Scotland (?)
Oh.
https://x.com/Bradholler/status/2033142404656582778?s=20
But once you've bought it its done.
We did look at migrating from oil, or at least to a hybrid air-source/oil system (oil is the back-up to the air source if a boost is needed) and we didn't go for it. It was ferociously expensive upfront.
I will be looking at installing solar soon (waiting on an inheritance house sale) and when the boiler dies (its basically brand new, so 10-15 years if well maintained) we will move away from oil. But it makes no sense for me to change it now, and we use about 1500 litres of oil a year, so either 600 quid or maybe 1000 if the costs soar until we need to refill in the autumn.
It makes infants out of the electorate.....
There is no guarantee a Cooper and Ed Miliband 'dream ticket' would win such a leadership election anyway. For example, Angela Rayner to their left outpolls both of them with Labour members and Streeting would also run as well to their right as the more Blairite candidate and Streeting also beats Cooper with Labour members even if Ed Miliband beats him after preferences
https://labourlist.org/2026/02/keir-starmer-wes-streeting-leadership-survation-poll/
We have had too many PM/leader changes in recent times. It has become a sad joke. Sometimes you just have to get your head down and 'keep buggering on' as the great man said.
I kind of agree to an extent. Either we say that affordable heating, electricity or whatever is a human right, or we accept that market forces can make things really tough. Some on here like higher prices for petrol or heating oil as in theory it should drive people to make greener choices. Arguably its not that simple for everyone.